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  1. #1
    Pusher, GaMe08 dmb658's Avatar
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    Default Grace lutheran church hostel in waynesboro, Va

    Hostel just opened today for the season and i am the lucky one to be their first guest, and so far i am amazed about the hospitality that they offer here. if your planning to spend the night in this town i recomend checking this place out! There is a lot of nice people that run this place and there are a lot of ammenities that they offer here!

    -Pusher

  2. #2
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    Waynesboro is a great town and the outfitter is top notch.







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  3. #3

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    there are a trio of 'friendly' winos that hang around the ymca campsite...willie and the boys- they 'live' somewhere further down the river, 'got a cot and lanterns and everything'...don't leave your camp unattended and the staff at the y appreciate being told when these guys are hanging around.

  4. #4
    Pusher, GaMe08 dmb658's Avatar
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    i agree, the outfitter is amazing and has everything you could possibly need, its a nice town with everything you need in it. lots of trail angels here to that will give you rides all over town.

    when you get off the trail at rockfish gap, look for the tourism office on the other side of the road, and they will call one of the trail angels to come and pick you up. its amazing the whole system that they've got set up.

    i wish i had zero-ed here and not at daleville

  5. #5

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    Don't forget AYCE pancakes at Weazies!
    "The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for." - Louis L'Amour

  6. #6
    Registered User Pacific Tortuga's Avatar
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    S#!T, I need to send off some DVD's to them. They were top shelf to me and, well, everyone.
    I was there last year when they closed. I've been trying to get them in the magazine "The Luteran", with a story on there great renewal hostel for thru- hikers, to no avail.
    I thought I had some pull with them nordic types in Minneapolis. If you can tell them hi for me ' Tortuga' and I will be sending them a thank you package ............ this week.

  7. #7
    Springer - Front Royal Lilred's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dmb658 View Post
    Hostel just opened today for the season and i am the lucky one to be their first guest, and so far i am amazed about the hospitality that they offer here. if your planning to spend the night in this town i recomend checking this place out! There is a lot of nice people that run this place and there are a lot of ammenities that they offer here!

    -Pusher
    Do you have a phone number for the place? Address? thanks
    "It was on the first of May, in the year 1769, that I resigned my domestic happiness for a time, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilderness of America." - Daniel Boone

  8. #8

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    are there check in/check out times? other rules and regs that have to be followed? an alterior motive? whenever i hear the words church and hostel in the same sentence im a little leary. often times hospitality is paired with an agenda. i compare it to a timeshare presentation. you can go get your gift so long as you spend time with someone pretending to be your friend as he attempts to sell you a bag of goods. im not saying im chuch hostels are bad. on the contrary. the pearisburg hostel is wonderful and they practice thier faith rather than pushing their faith. offering comfort and hospitality without pressuring hikers into religious conversations. i dont like feeling as though ive offended my host if i dont convert on the spot after ive paid the fee or made an appropriate donation and have followed all the rules (no alcohol, etc...).

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by rockhound View Post
    the pearisburg hostel is wonderful and they practice thier faith rather than pushing their faith. offering comfort and hospitality without pressuring hikers into religious conversations.
    That place is pretty much run by one man unless you count his little dog.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by rockhound View Post
    are there check in/check out times? other rules and regs that have to be followed? an alterior motive? whenever i hear the words church and hostel in the same sentence im a little leary. often times hospitality is paired with an agenda. i compare it to a timeshare presentation. you can go get your gift so long as you spend time with someone pretending to be your friend as he attempts to sell you a bag of goods. im not saying im chuch hostels are bad. on the contrary. the pearisburg hostel is wonderful and they practice thier faith rather than pushing their faith. offering comfort and hospitality without pressuring hikers into religious conversations. i dont like feeling as though ive offended my host if i dont convert on the spot after ive paid the fee or made an appropriate donation and have followed all the rules (no alcohol, etc...).
    Yes there are rules.. No fees, but do accept donations. It opens about 4:00 pm as I recall and you need to be out in the morning. It is run by volunteers who do have a life besides cleaning up after you. There is no "alterior motive" other than caring for strangers in the spirit of the Good Samaritan. I stayed twice in 2005 and would stay again anytime I can.

    It is down by the YMCA and across from the library. Easy to find behind the grocery store and Chinese AYCE...

  11. #11

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    There were more church hostels around when I thru'd than there are today, and I was never, not once, prosetylized when I was a guest at a church hostel.

  12. #12

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    Wow, lighten up, folks.

    There's no "hidden agenda" in Waynesboro. These are really wonderful folks, doing wonderful things for hikers, and they have no ulterior motives whatsoever.

    And yeah, there are check in/out times and other rules and regulations at this hostel, as well there should be. So what?

    Why this would trouble anyone amazes me.

    Folks who are bothered by rules and regulations at hostels, especially church ones, probably shouldn't stay there.

  13. #13
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    Default that's what I meant...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Tarlin View Post
    Wow, lighten up, folks.

    There's no "hidden agenda" in Waynesboro. These are really wonderful folks, doing wonderful things for hikers, and they have no ulterior motives whatsoever.

    And yeah, there are check in/out times and other rules and regulations at this hostel, as well there should be. So what?

    Why this would trouble anyone amazes me.

    Folks who are bothered by rules and regulations at hostels, especially church ones, probably shouldn't stay there.
    My point exactly Jack!

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Tarlin View Post
    Wow, lighten up, folks.

    There's no "hidden agenda" in Waynesboro. These are really wonderful folks, doing wonderful things for hikers, and they have no ulterior motives whatsoever.

    And yeah, there are check in/out times and other rules and regulations at this hostel, as well there should be. So what?

    Why this would trouble anyone amazes me.

    Folks who are bothered by rules and regulations at hostels, especially church ones, probably shouldn't stay there.
    I agree w/JT. Would be nice if some folks would just accept the generosity of these people, instead of questioning their agenda. I might bet that these would be the ones who would not be making a modest donation to help them defer their expenses. There are always just "takers" and not "givers".

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Tarlin View Post
    Wow, lighten up, folks.

    There's no "hidden agenda" in Waynesboro. These are really wonderful folks, doing wonderful things for hikers, and they have no ulterior motives whatsoever.

    And yeah, there are check in/out times and other rules and regulations at this hostel, as well there should be. So what?

    Why this would trouble anyone amazes me.

    Folks who are bothered by rules and regulations at hostels, especially church ones, probably shouldn't stay there.
    Come on Jack. I'm not "blasting" church hostels. I even said the Pearisburg hostel was great. From what I've read I'm sure the Waynesboro hostel is great too. I was simply asking if there was a hidden agenda. last year i was with 12 other hikers who were lured by "trail magic" provided by an otherwise very nice couple. We were fed a wonderful meal and the offer was made for us to stay the night. We were told we would be provided with breakfast and lunch as long as we all attended service at their church. It was Easter so I figured what the heck it would make mom happy. Well we did have a great breakfast then went to church were we ushered downstairs for a 1 hour preservice by a person who gave me the impression of a used car salesman. Then we were all led upstairs for a service that "blasted" the Jews. I'm not a religious person but i feel any religion should preach tolerance, acceptance and forgivness. Not self richousness and hate. Anyway afterwards we did go out for lunch (which we had to pay for) No biggie but everyones understanding the previous day was that it was their treat. Then before continuing my hike I had a conversation with the husband who was of the adamant belief that the earth was only 7000 years old and dinosaur fossils were put here by god to create doubt in nonbelievers. All in all it wasn't a horrible experience. In fact I found it to be quite humorous. It just illustrates my point that some trail magic does come with strings attached

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    Quote Originally Posted by max patch View Post
    There were more church hostels around when I thru'd than there are today, and I was never, not once, prosetylized when I was a guest at a church hostel.
    That was my experience also. The closest I came to being proselytized was at Blackburn Center last summer. Redwing and Hopeful are sweet folks... and very Christian...

  17. #17
    Registered User Chainsaw 08's Avatar
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    Just to add -- the reason you have to leave during the day is because the Hostel is actually IN the church, not in another building. They have volunteer hosts on site the whole time, including overnight, and this way they don't have to try to find someone to be there all day long.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by rockhound View Post
    are there check in/check out times? other rules and regs that have to be followed? an alterior motive? whenever i hear the words church and hostel in the same sentence im a little leary.
    Well, it's your choice to stay there or not. I've stayed at "church" hostels on several occasions and never been proselytized -- and I'm as atheist as one can be. Had anyone said so much as a peep to me about Jesus, I'd have been packed and gone in a flash.

    Most of these places have strict rules about drinking and smoking... no surprise there. Watch out for the caretaker at The Place, he's got a mean streak.

  19. #19

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    Yeah, imagine that....someone mentioning the name of Jesus Christ in a church.

    Can anyone imagine anything so terrible?

    Truly, Terrapin World is a bizarre place.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by _terrapin_ View Post

    Most of these places have strict rules about drinking and smoking... no surprise there. Watch out for the caretaker at The Place, he's got a mean streak.
    if hikers weren't such ******** all the time and follow the rules maybe we'd be a little nicer

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